SOUTH ROYALTON — Frank Fred Berk of South Royalton, Vt., passed away Thursday, June 20, 2013, surrounded by his wife, four children and sister.

He was born December 16, 1951, in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Nathan and Celia Berk. Frank grew up in a home and neighborhood filled with his extended family, which, in addition to his parents, included his sister, Bonnie, his grandmother, Buba, his aunts and uncles and his many cousins (including two other Franks), nieces and nephews. His favorite activities included spending his summers at Camp Mahoge and playing streetball.

After finishing high school at 16, he attended Queens College and graduated cum laude in 1974. Along the way, he quit his summer job to attend Woodstock, lived in Santa Cruz, Calif., lost his passport in Morocco, followed the Grateful Dead, spent time at the University of Arizona, participated in archaeological digs on the West Coast, went to many concerts at the Filmore East and hitchhiked across the country.

Frank moved to South Royalton in 1975 to attend Vermont Law School where he was part of the third class, graduating cum laude in 1978. He fell in love with Vermont where he would live for the rest of his life. He also met many of his closest lifelong friends.

Frank met Kathleen Raymond while working at the Vermont State Housing Authority and they were married April 19, 1992. They spent the 21 years of their marriage living on Mill Road.

Frank was a dedicated member of the community, serving on the school board for many years, acting as the town attorney and coaching various youth teams. He cared deeply about the town and believed he’d stumbled upon the best place in the world to live.

In addition to coaching sports, Frank enjoyed bowling, skiing, playing beer league softball, Sunday morning basketball and hiking. He would often travel to Boston and New York City to attend baseball games at Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium with his two sons, Alex and Sam.

Frank was very proud of his four children, Katie, Alex, Emily and Sam Berk, and his greatest joy was spending time with his family all together. He was their biggest supporter, attending almost every single one of their games and never missing an opportunity to brag about them.

Above all, Frank loved being at home in the beautiful home Kathy and he built, surrounded by his family and his dog, puttering around in his garden or just enjoying the view.

Calling hours will be held on Tuesday, June 25, 2013, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the South Royalton High School Gym in South Royalton, Vt. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, June 26, 2013, at 1 p.m. at the Vermont Law School in South Royalton, Vt., with Rev. Deadra Ashton officiating. A private burial will be held in the Riverview Cemetery in South Royalton, Vt. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the South Royalton High School Jacket Fund (jackets for the Vt. State Championship Baseball Team), PO Box 193, Tunbridge, VT 05077. Arrangements are under the direction of the Boardway & Cilley Funeral Home, 300 Vt. Route 110, Chelsea, Vt. A private message of sympathy for the family can be shared at www.boardwayandcilley.com.